Last night was rough for #DeGea
The 1st goal was a textbook shot stopping technique selection mistake
The shot went next to DDG’s right foot but rather than go with his foot he went with his hand
It was odd to see as DDG’s shot stopping technique selection is usually flawless!
I actually thought #DeGea’s footwork before the shot occurred was excellent & it got him into a great position to make the save but his shot stopping technique selection let him down at the last moment & meant he couldn’t make the save!
#MUFC #UCL #ATAMUN
The 1st goal was a mistake but I am way more concerned about the 2nd.
Even though #DeGea had ample time to judge the 1v1 would be from close range he failed to get close enough to the ball to maximise the goal area covered & snuff out the shot.
He needed to be on top of the CF!
This isn’t a one off for #DeGea his close range 1v1 stopping has been poor for 3 seasons
Close range 1v1s Faced: 28
Close range 1v1s ExSaved: 15.2
Close range 1v1s Saved: 11
Close range 1v1 Performance: -4.2
(Ranked bottom for PL GKs who have faced over 20 close range 1v1s)
I have regularly outlined why #DeGea struggles with close range 1v1s but I think after last night it is worth going over this again & digging into why he struggles so much!
It comes down to 3 main issues that consistently stop him saving as many close range 1v1s as he could:
1.Not engaging the striker
#DeGea often trusts his reactions far more than he should & stays close to his line rather than engaging the striker & attacking the ball.
Trying to react to a close range 1v1 shot rarely works because there simple isn’t enough time to react!
2. Engaging but dropping into a premeditated barrier far from the striker
Engaging & forming a barrier doesn’t require reaction time & should block a large portion of the goal & force the striker to hit the ball into you but this doesn’t work if you aren’t close to the striker!
3. Poor premeditated barrier shape in order to avoid contact
The engage & block/spread strategies efficiency also relies on the barrier shape being maintained throughout the save but #DeGea often twists his body away in order to avoid contact or fails to form the shape properly
In conclusion last night wasn’t great for #DeGea but I’m less worried about the first goal occurring again than I am about the second goal because close range 1v1s are a far more of a consistent issue with #DeGea than shot stopping technique selection!
Only time will tell though
As always if you are interested in the 1v1 statistics & techniques & strategies I outlined in this thread check out my pinned tweet for more information!
For those who missed it if you are interested in #DeGea’s cross claiming & sweeping performance this year I wrote a thread on it earlier this week 👇🏻
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